BOLARINWA CHASES HIS (YOUTH) OLYMPIC DREAM

Sixteen-year-old Trackspeed1 sprinter, David Bolarinwa, unbeaten over 100m this year, and Europe's number one under-18, faces the race of his life later this month in the World Youth Olympic Games.  But he will have to complete last minute preparations without the coach that has taken him to the brink of Youth Olympic glory.

David wins the European 100m Olympic Trials in Moscow

Coach John Powell, who has remortgaged to travel out to Singapore so he can support his protégée - a real TeamGB medal hope - says that he could be twiddling his fingers in a hotel room rather than helping the Thamesmead-based Cambridge Harrier prepare for the event of a lifetime.

"UK Athletics warned me there may be a problem," he said, "and it appears that the organising committee in Singapore have said that there will be no accreditations for personal coaches.  At one stage I wasn't even going to get in to see David compete, because all the tickets were sold out, but then thankfully the British Olympic Association stepped in and said they could sell coaches tickets for sessions relevant to their athletes. The journey has cost me a fortune, but I want to see a fantastic season through to its climax."

"We won't know for sure whether I can access the training track before the Games begin.  The very idea of possibly not being able to coach David for the final ten days before the event is quite bizarre.  David will have a detailed training programme, and I'm sure the team staff will do all they can to ensure he completes it if I can't.  

"Having seen him through his first serious winter of training, followed him to the European title in Moscow, and overseen an outstanding unbeaten season in the UK to date, I would of course rather like to finish the job!  I can't criticise the British authorities though - UKA and the British Olympic Association seem to have done everything they can, and the flow of information on the event throughout the season has been really helpful in guiding David's preparations."

David is all smiles as he meets leading USA sprints coach Brooks Johnson during pre-season training in Florida

Bolarinwa starts as a strong favourite to medal in the blue ribband event of any Olympics.  This is the first ever 'Youth Olympics' and will take on the format of a full Olympic Games incorporating all sports, but aimed at participants from all over the globe aged under 18.

The South East Londoner is ranked second in the world at present, a fraction behind a Jamaican rival whose best currently stands at 10.46s.  But TeamGB's brightest young sprints prospect in years remains a firm hope for a medal on the day - which colour remains to be seen!  

Bolarinwa has won the English under-20 title as well as the English Schools under-17 championship, not to mention the international schools crown.  His fastest 100m time came in the English under-20 final when he clocked a wind legal 10.47s, after timing a slightly wind-assisted 10.43s in an earlier round.

"I'm going out to Singapore to win," he said, "but as long as I bring home a medal, I guess I'll be fairly happy.  The whole trip's going to be amazing, but I'm going to have to really get it together to achieve my goals there.  I want two golds ideally - with Europe winning the relay too!"

An additional pressure on David will be documentary cameras from CBBC's Blue Peter programme, who are filming him and three other TeamGB athletes from airport to track and home again for footage that will go out early in the New Year.

"This will be a great adventure for David," said Powell, "but he must remain incredibly focussed throughout the trip if he is to get even close to the winners' rostrum."


Check out this website for up-to-date news on how David's preparations go and then how he deals with the world's most talented teenage sprinters in Singapore!

Apprentice David learns from senior international training 

partner James Ellington as they review training video footage

DAVID NOW WORLD NUMBER TWO!

Trackspeed1 wonderkid David Bolarinwa, 16, added a new dimension to sprinting at the weekend as he hit number two in the world under-18 rankings for 100 metres.

In a scintillating weekend's work at the England under-20 championships in Bedford, he not only grabbed the national title from under the noses of athletes far senior to him, but clocked an incredible 10.47 seconds, which leaves him as third fastest ever Brit, and second on this year's global lists for under-18's.

The latter is most relevant as his agenda takes him to Singapore in August for the World Youth Olympics, an under-18 competition.

"I think I might have cheesed a few people off," said David after the 100m on Saturday (19th), "because I'm friends with alot of the guys in the event, but nobody contacted me at all for ages afterwards.  I think they were a bit shocked that an under-17 beat them, but we're all fine now."

Bolarinwa had caught the eye of the crowd right from the off, as he stormed to victory in the heats in a wind-aided 10.62 - the fastest he had ever run over the distance thus far.  Then in the semi-final he clocked 10.43, but again the wind speed was over the legal limit.

When the clock stopped in the final everyone held their breath as the wind speed was communicated to the announcer's box.

"I must admit I was a bit awe-struck when we found out the wind speed was legal," said coach John Powell, "because this puts a copletely new dimension on David's career from here on.  He will be seen as the new kid on the block, and the fun will soon become pressure as expectations rise, but he has a stable head on his shoulders and I am confident he will handle it."

Bolarinwa had not finished though as, barely 24 hours later, he was in action again in the 200 metres, making it six races in a 24-hour period, a challenge for the most senior of athletes.

The heats saw him speed round in a fastest ever 21.36, but again the wind speed was just over the permitted limit, but in the semi-final it dropped, and his 21.17 saw him fire into fifth place on the all-time lists for his age in the UK.

The final saw his first technical slip of the weekend as he didn't quite hit the bend hard enough, and he entered the straight with it all to do.  His eventual third place in 21.21s, another wind-legal mark, earned him bronze in an age-group three years his senior, and wide acclaim as the athlete of the championships.

"David had an outstanding weekend and I'm immensely proud of him," said John Powell,"because not only did he run fast, he exeited his events really well in the main, and he is learning all the time.  He's a great talent, but there is still much work to do, both before Singapore, and in the longer term before we start thinking about senior athletics."

Bolarinwa next races in the British Athletics League for his club, Cambridge Harriers, on Saturday July 3rd, after which he will be defending his English Schools 100 metres title, in Birmingham, on July 9/10th.

Trackspeed1 had one other athlete in action at Bedford on Sunday in Femi Owolade, and he too travelled back down the M1 with a smile from ear to ear.

The 22 year-old Blackheath and Bromley athlete sped through the heats of the under-23 200 metres in a lifetime's fastest 21.44 seconds in first, and progressed through the semi-finals with 21.53, although only as a fastest loser to the final.

In the final, he was drawn outside in lane eight making a solo run a real challenge, but he came off the bend well in touch with the leaders, and held on for a bronze medal he dare not have even dreamed about beforehand.

"I can't believe it," he said afterwards, "getting a PB was one thing, but winning a medal is beyond my wildest dreams, I am really happy."

Finally, the news was at last getting better for UK number three over 100 metres, James Ellington, whose tragic hamstring tear in Geneva earlier this month saw his European Championship dreams evaporate.

The 24-year-old Belgrave Harrier began rehabilitation work in the hydrotherapy pool on Sunday, and now must battle to prove his fitness before final selection for the Commonwealth Games.  That is likely to be mid-August at the latest.

Femi Owolade is all smiles with his 200m Bronze at Bedford.

DESTINATION: THE WORLD!

Trackspeed1 sprinters enjoyed an amazing opening day of their summer season today (Sunday 23rd) with success at home and abroad.

In Moscow, 16-year-old David Bolarinwa came within an inch of a second gold medal in three days, eventually finishing second in the 200m at the European Youth Olympics, clocking a lifetime's fastest 21.49s.

Meanwhile, back home, James Ellington opened his account at the Loughborough International meeting with his fastest ever 100m of 10.22s, albeit slightly wind aided (+2.5m/s).  Later he was awarded second leg for England seniors who proceeded to beat the Great Britain 4 x 100m relay team.

Also in action at Loughborough was Trackspeed1's Jason Hussain, who signaled a return to form with 21.58s from lane one (wind +2.3m/s).

Coach John Powell was smiling all the way back to his hotel on the Moscow Metro:

"Make no mistake, there is alot more to come yet," he said, "and this is only the start.  We knew we had athletes in form, and we haven't even seen the likes of Dwayne Grant and others in action yet.

"David did outstandingly well in Moscow, and just couldn't quite catch the Pole outside him, but gold on Friday in the 100m added to this silver makes him arguably the highest achiever as an individual in a major championship this squad has seen!

"And James has far more in the tank - don't forget he finished second ahead of Marlon Devonish, Christian Malcolm, Nick Smith and others - real scalps!

"And people may not think that the 2008 nightmare that saw Jason Hussain undergo punishing chemotherapy is of any relevance now, but I can say from personal experience that it is!  It rips the body apart, and the fact that he has fought back to this kind of form in little more than 18 months is a massive compliment to an exceptionally determined athlete."

John Powell will have to budget carefully this year, as his squad could potentially be competing all over the world!  Barcelona sees the European Championships, and Singapore the World Youth Olympics, where David Bolarinwa is now officially selected in the 100 metres.

"I am immensely grateful to United Kingdom Athletics (Jo Jennings in particular) for helping me attend Moscow," he said, "but I now have to work out how I can afford to get myself potentially to the Far East as well as any other majors, not to mention domestic competitions all over the UK.  And if anyone gets selected for the Commonwealth Games in Delhi....!"

BOLARINWA FACES EURO TEST

See end of this story for updates from Moscow...

Trackspeed1's latest teenage sprint sensation, 16-year-old David Bolarinwa, faces his sternest test yet today (May 21st), as he opens his account in the European Youth Olympics, in Moscow.

The heats of the 100m go at 1210m local time, and the final at 7.40pm.  Moscow lies three hours ahead of the UK, so by late afternoon in London the title will have been decided.  The event doubles as the trials for the first ever World Youth Olympics, to be held in Singapore in August.

It will be a tough test for David, with fellow Brit' Jerome Musa Lawal having already clocked a faster time this year, plus rivals from Russia and Turkey.  The top four go to Singapore , but only one British athlete can be selected.

Speaking from the Olympic complex in Moscow, coach John Powell commented: "This will be a tough test.  David is in great form, but he is almost a year younger than Jerome, and we know there are at least two other lads faster than him on paper."

David runs also, as the only Brit', in the 200m tomorrow (heats) and Sunday (final), and so has two chances of selection for the prestigious world event later in the summer.

MOSCOW UPDATE...


11:10am BST - David Bolarinwa came through the heats of the 100m in the European Youth Olympics unscathed, and qualified for this afternoon's final as the fastest in the field.


He clocked 10.72s, equal to his one other performance this year, set in Florida, USA, two weeks ago.  Fellow Brit' Jerome Musa Lawal, failed to qualify after finishing second in his heat with the winner only sure to go through.


Of the other strongly fancied athletes, the Italian pulled up with a hamstring tear, but both Russians looked very impressive.  The final goes at 16:40 BST, and this website will be updated later this evening.

David Bolarinwa wins his heat with ease in Moscow

BOLARINWA HEADS TO MOSCOW

Trackspeed1's newest young sprints ace, David Bolarinwa, is heading to Moscow just days after returning from the United States on the squad's warm weather training camp.  The 16-year-old Cambridge Harrier has been selected to compete for Great Britain in the European Youth Olympics.

Bolarinwa, together with coach John Powell, return from the 4-week training camp, which will include at least one competitive outing at the University of Central Florida's high profile annual spring meet, and have just four days in the UK before going through another set of time zones east to the Russian capital.

The event represents the trials for the main event of the year, the World Youth Olympics, in Singapore, in August, and the powers that be reckon Trackspeed1's representative has a great chance of qualifying.  Right now the plan is that he will compete in the 100 metres.

SENSATIONAL BOLARINWA THE BEST IN UK HISTORY: OFFICIAL !

Trackspeed1 superkid, David Bolarinwa, is now the best all-round under-17 sprinter of all time!  An amazing weekend saw him take the Midlands by storm, clinching both the 60m and 200m national indoor titles in sensational style, in Birmingham's National Indoor Arena.

He clocked a lifetime best 6.81s in the 60m final on Saturday (27th) to become the third fastest of all time, and capped that with a 21.59s 200m in Sunday (28th) which is also the third fastest ever Briton.  It was within only a few hundredths of British International Tim Benjamen's 200m record mark set over ten years ago. But with different names ahead of him in each event, his combined efforts make him an all-time number  one!

Its all systems go now for the 16-year-old Cambridge Harrier, and his sights will now be focussed on Moscow in May for the European Youth Olympics, after which it is hopefully a ticket to Singapore for the World Youth Olympics.

"This was a fantastic weekend's work," said an absolutely delighted coach, John Powell.  "David is learning so much all the time, and improved even during this weekend.

"The focus in the summer now looks as if it will be the European Youth Olympics in Moscow in May.  They act as trials for a European team in the World Youth Olympics in Singapore in August.  Quite frankly, the real dilemma is what event to do - or to double up 100/200m if we are allowed to.  The way this weekend has gone - and the indications in training - would suggest David could be a real cntender for a medal in both Moscow and Singapore.  It's a great position to be in."

UK Athletics have made it clear that competing in the Youth Olympics and the World Junior Championships is not an option, but Powell isn't worried in the slightest:

"David has two years as an under-20 after 2010, and he will get a crack at both Eurpean and World Championships at that level before graduating to the senior ranks.  It would be great experience to witness a World Juniors this year while still so young, but he'll only get one crack at the youth Olympcs, so that has tobe our priority now."

Bolarinwa will now go back to training with his Trackspeed1 squad at Crystal palace, and go to the USA in April with a number of his senior training partners for pre-season training.  His otdor season is likely to open with an outing at the University of Central Florida in May.